How do the prostaglandin analog glaucoma drops reduce pressure inside of the eye?
Pharmacology
No
U
D
Prostaglandins are a type of glaucoma drop that lower pressure by increasing the flow of aqueous through the uveoscleral pathway. All of the other types of glaucoma drops work by either reducing the production of aqueous or increasing the outflow of aqueous through the trabecular meshwork. They are given at NIGHT and their peak effect is 12-14 hours later. This counterbalances the pressure spike in the eye that occurs in the morning due to the natural cortisol rise. They reduce the pressure about 25-30%. They are generally used as a first line treatment because they are given only once a day and they have the greatest reduction of pressure compared to the other classes of medications. They have a teal colored top. Side effects include eye redness, increased iris pigmentation especially in patients with hazel irises, and eyelash growth. The cosmetic Latisse is a topical prostaglandin used to increase eyelash length. It is applied to the eyelashes in a brush.
Common types of prostaglandins are latanaprost (Xalatan), travaprost (Travatan), Bimatoprost (Lumigan), and tafluprost (Zioptan).
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